


and here we sat

by beepboopwriting



Series: 2Dace extravaganza!! [2]
Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Crush realization, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, One Shot, Restaurants, stu’s a lil charmed!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-05 18:52:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15177086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beepboopwriting/pseuds/beepboopwriting
Summary: 2D and Ace have a conversation when left alone at a diner, and 2D finds himself infatuated with the new bassist, hoping that the chat wasn't just pleasant small talk.





	and here we sat

**Author's Note:**

> oof....2dace good....diner atmosphere fun to write....

Plucking strings on an old guitar usually allowed 2D to focus less on his troubles and more on how his lanky fingers felt against the vibrating strings, but today seemed to not allow him to. He instead thought back to a conversation he had a few days ago, and his guitar sat on the floor as he reflected.

* * *

Noise buzzed around the old Nano’s Diner and Bar in contrast to 2D, who sat quietly at a corner booth while his bandmates went off their separate ways within the restaurant. Russel went off to the bathroom, Noodle ran into a friend from her favorite boutique and was chatting her up, and new bassist Ace was standing beside the jukebox, tossing a quarter in the air as he waited for the current song to end. 2D had his back to the window and his eyes studying Ace. The new guy had been around for what had been almost 2 weeks, and yet 2D knew almost next to nothing about him. Sure, he came from a background of violence and gangs, but who in the band _wasn’t_ familiar with a bit of bloodshed? 2D also recounted that Ace was a bit of a snark. This was something he picked up on immediately when Noodle was introducing Ace to the others, exemplified by the quick “So what?” after Russel scolded him for messing with a pocket knife so casually. It was a sense of cockiness that 2D found threatening, but nothing on the level of what Murdoc ever did. In fact, it kind of impressed 2D. When he got a chance to actually sit and talk with the man would he ask him how he managed to twirl around the little knife with such ease. Turning away from the jukebox’s direction, 2D noticed that his other band members were still in their own little worlds. Socializing is what they did, and 2D let them be. He looked at the plates of food on the table, and he poked at his onion rings with a fork before he was interrupted by the beginnings of 5/4 radiating from the jukebox. He raised his white eyes to see Ace had now sat across from him, his varsity jacket sleeve damp from the condensation now on his drink.

“Not gonna lie to you, D. Always been my favorite of you guys’ stuff.” He started, crossing his arms and leaning back into the cushion of the booth.

“Is it now?” 2D asked, taken aback that Ace started the conversation. A wave of relief washed over 2D in that moment, and he dropped his fork onto the table.

“It’s somethin’ about your voice in it that gives it the edge I like.” Ace responded as he reached across the table and grabbed at 2D’s food, grabbing a handful of the onion rings before he set them down on his own plate. “You still a fan of it? You’ve got such a collection of tunes that I imagine your blue head of yours can’t possibly like all of ‘em!” He laughed as he picked up his stolen food and stuffed three rings into his mouth.

“Well, you’re kinda right about that. Some of the previous songs we’ve done ended up bein’ sorta duds if you look back on it, but none I really hate. Glad you’re a fan of our older stuff.” 2D smiled, the grin covering up both the anxiety of talking face to face with the new guy and his slight anger over his food being snatched from him. Ace shrugged and looked off towards the jukebox with a smirk.

“The older stuff of yours got me through the turbulence of bein’ a new adult out on the streets, D.”

“Wow,” muttered 2D, “it really helped you through it all?” His white eyes widened with the possibility that it was him and his voice that navigated Ace on the street, and he questioned again and again. “I mean, really?”

“Yeah.”

“And you’re absolutely sure?”

“D, listen.” Ace said, this halting the cycle of the “reallys” and “sures” 2D was surely going to continue if not for this very interruption. “I’m a part of the band now, and would a _bandmate_ lie to you?”

“Yes.” 2D answered immediately. His sense of pride was lessened a bit, and he remembered back to every single time he had been lied to by Murdoc. Obviously, it wasn’t hard to think of examples of this daily betrayal if Ace were to ask for any, but 2D clearly didn’t feel like talking about it. “All the time, actually.” He looked down to his lap and starting tracing circles around the holes in his knees. It was after a cough that 2D looked up again to see Ace with his lips pressed together and his eyes tracing every inch of the room. It was a look of regret, an emotion 2d had never really seen on a bassist much.

“Ah, damn, you’re right. Sorry for that. I should think ‘fore I speak. In my two weeks of bein’ with the band, I’m sure you’ve picked up that I ain’t really afraid to speak whatever’s on my mind and don’t think through. Looks like that wasn’t the best thing to ask. Sorry, pal. Hug and make up, eh?” Ace requested. His guilt not only manifested with his expression and demeanor but also with his return of 2D’s onion rings. The remaining five or four were set back on the plate in front of 2D, and he right then and there considered it a very sincere gesture.

“You’re alright, Ace. You didn’t mean any offense, I’m sure.” 2D continued as a relaxed smile came back to his face. This change in personality made Ace wipe his forehead in relief, and he continued on.

“Totally not.” Ace said as he straightened his posture. “Point is, I think, is that I’ve gotten myself kinda situated with both Noods and Russ now. You, D, I know almost nothing about except that you sing and are kinda out there. Not a bad thing by any means, but I think I’ve gotta know who is behind those vocals, right? Bass player to singer talk, huh?” He held out a hand across the table as if to suggest a handshake. “You accept?”

“Well, since you were a fan before you even got the invitation to join, I would’ve assumed that you knew all you could know about me. Interviews and the sort.” 2D replied, but his arm extended to return the gesture. “But, yeah, sure, I accept.”

“Hella.” Ace smirked, and he returned to his slouchy posture with his arms crossed again. “Now, about that one song you wanted to get outta the way first. What was it again? I can’t quite remember at the moment. Wanted to ask about those lyrics, they’re kinda saddening.”

“Fire Flies?” 2D responded. “That one’s just a little metaphorical, as they say. Nothin’ to really worry about. All albums need their sob song, right?”

“I guess. Just a bit of a bummer, though. Really like the beat you’ve put to it, though. That bassline is gonna give me goosebumps when I first play it, even if it’s the middle of summer, you know?” As it turned out, 2D did not know what Ace was talking about. Sure, 2D felt his inner core relax at the sound of his own music, but goosebumps?  In the summer too, he said!

“That why you wear that jacket all the time? You get cold easily?” 2D asked. “I’m sorry if the song kinda gives you goosebumps. I think if you keep the jacket on, though, we’ll be okay. When we get back to the studio, I’ll get Noodle to raise the thermostat.” 2D assured as he lifted his fork again to poke at his remaining food. The intense focus he hoped to have was never achieved though, as he heard a hand hit the table (lightly and not enough to startle him) and a loud laugh echo from across him. He pushed his hair out of his eyes to see a laughing Ace, his sunglasses now off as he covered his laughs ever growing in volume.

“D, that ain’t what I mean by goosebumps! Oh, you are gold. GOLD.” Ace managed to say between his own laughs. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep the jacket on.”

“Oh, oh good!” 2D replied softly. He too laughed a little, and he found himself looking back up at Ace. There was some sort of wonderment he felt because of that laugh. Listening to the laugh and repeating it in his head was comforting in a way. The creases in Ace’s face matched the ones in his jacket as he laughed, and 2D paid acute attention to that. Hearing and making Ace laugh was something 2D hoped to achieve within the time he spent working on the album with the new bassist.

“Ah, you’re a classic. First, we stop by this _classy_ diner, then you appreciate my appreciation for your old music, and lastly you make me laugh like a fool? I should’ve gotten to know you first, 2D.” Ace smirked. He lifted his glass of Coke and clinked it against 2D’s sitting glass of water, producing a metallic sound. “To you and me being buddies, 2D! Whatta ya say?” With the energy that Ace possessed, 2D could do nothing but grin back and clink back.

“I think it’s a swell idea, Acey.” Another sound of the glasses hitting echoed throughout the diner, and the two men sat across from each other, hoping that the back and forth questions of what it was like to constantly be beaten up by six year olds and why exactly giving a cat a Kinder egg seemed like a good idea at the time would bond them closer than the music would. 

* * *

2D sighed again, and he remembered how Ace’s face lit up when he got into his typical attitude. He never really dropped the greaser act from he was younger, and 2D saw how it seeped into almost every aspect of his personality; even to this day was it obvious how much the act influenced Ace. As much as he didn’t want to say it to himself and much less to anyone around him, he found himself intrigued by Ace. His laugh, his knife tricks, his sense of humor, his sunglasses and that damned varsity jacket; all of it made 2D think constantly about the man who adorned those traits and clothes. Even harder to admit to himself was that he found it all... _attractive._ Shaking his head quickly and breathing deep to avoid his thoughts from taking over again, 2D took hold of the guitar again and started to play a song, his voice soon trailing along.

_Magic for me, magic make no sound…_

**Author's Note:**

> now keep on playing 5/4, you funky little brit 
> 
> thank you for reading! feel free to leave kudos, comments, or bookmarks <3 love ya!


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